History VideoGame / DoubleDragon

While not the first of its kind, as ''Double Dragon'' was originally intended to be a sequel to their previous game ''[[VideoGame/KunioKun Renegade]]'', the game improved upon its predecessor's formula by allowing up to two players to play simultaneously and adding the ability to pick and use weapons against the enemies (both features would become standard in subsequent games in the genre). The 2-Players Mode also provides a twist in the end: if both players manage to make all the way to the end, then the two are forced to fight each other to the death, with the survivor getting to claim Marian for himself.

** In ''Neon'', it's [[SubvertedTrope subverted]] - if you turn on damage displays in options, you'll see the punch does 999 damage. In the final level, [[spoiler:Marian uses the PowerOfLove to open a magic gate to pursue Skullmageddon, and after the ending credits roll, she finishes off Skullmageddon with an [[GroinAttack epic blow to the nards.]]]]

* [[IHaveYourWife I Have Your Girlfriend]]

* InconvenientlyPlacedConveyorBelt

* OneSteveLimit

* PistolWhipping: Willy with his gun.

* ObviousBeta: ''Super Double Dragon''. Even the more complete ''Return of Double Dragon'' was clearly rushed for release. The second half of Mission 7, absent from ''Super'', is very unfinished (e.g. BottomlessPits you can't fall into, stairs you have to jump up). Other things DummiedOut of both versions include the proposed true FinalBoss battle with Duke's shadow, the ConveyorBeltODoom in the airport baggage claim that would lead to a BottomlessPit, the warehouse section of Mission 5, and the collapsing bridge at the end of Mission 6. Many music tracks were left unused (a few which can still be heard in ''Return'''s sound test) and Marian, who is mentioned in the manual and shown in two pieces of artwork, never actually appears in the game (she would've been a policewoman like her comic and cartoon counterparts).

** Ported to [[UsefulNotes/NintendoEntertainmentSystem NES]], UsefulNotes/SegaMasterSystem, [[UsefulNotes/MicrosoftWindows Windows]], UsefulNotes/AmstradCPC, UsefulNotes/ZXSpectrum, UsefulNotes/Commodore64, UsefulNotes/{{Amiga}}, UsefulNotes/AtariST, UsefulNotes/{{Atari 2600}}, UsefulNotes/{{Atari 7800}}, UsefulNotes/{{MSX}}, UsefulNotes/GameBoy, UsefulNotes/SegaGenesis, UsefulNotes/AtariLynx, [[MobilePhoneGame Mobile Phones]][[note]]both original and "EX" versions[[/note]], UsefulNotes/Xbox360, UsefulNotes/PlayStation4, and UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch.
** ''Double Dragon Advance'' (2003 UsefulNotes/GameBoyAdvance): First game developed by Million, a remake of the original with elements of later games.

** ''Double Dragon'' (2011, [[UsefulNotes/IOSGames iOS]]): By the makers of the Zeebo version, ported to UsefulNotes/{{Android|Games}} the following year.[[index]]

** Ported to Amiga, Windows, Commodore 64, Amstrad CPC, ZX Spectrum, Atari ST, NES[[note]][[ReformulatedGame reformulated port]][[/note]], Japanese Mega Drive, [[UsefulNotes/TurboGrafx16 PC Engine]] Super CD-ROM[[superscript:2]][[note]][[VideoGameRemake remake]] of the NES conversion[[/note]], and [=PlayStation=] 4.

* ''Double Dragon'' (1992, UsefulNotes/GameGear): An original game developed and produced by Virgin Interactive, also known as ''Double Dragon: The Revenge of Billy Lee'' in Europe.
* ''Super Double Dragon'' (1992, [[UsefulNotes/SuperNintendoEntertainmentSystem SNES]])

** Ported to Sega Genesis and UsefulNotes/AtariJaguar.
* ''Double Dragon'' (1995, UsefulNotes/NeoGeo): A one-on-one fighting game based on the movie. Unlike ''Shadow Falls'', Technos actually made this one and it was the last one they made before going out of business.
** Ported to UsefulNotes/PlayStation.[[index]]
* ''VideoGame/DoubleDragonNeon'' (2012, UsefulNotes/PlayStation3 / Xbox 360): An extremely AffectionateParody of the series developed by [[Creator/WayForwardTechnologies WayForward]].[[/index]]

** Ported to UsefulNotes/{{OUYA}} and Windows.[[index]]

** The Japanese version of the UsefulNotes/GameBoyAdvance game flat out gives a dedication to Bruce Lee in the ending.
* TheCameo: In Amon's ending in the UsefulNotes/NeoGeo game, you can see [[VideoGame/VoltageFighterGowcaizer Shaia and Ballboy]] near him.

** The American UsefulNotes/GameBoy version uses the same box art as the aforementioned NES version, even though Jimmy doesn't appear in that game at all.

* MartialArtsUniform: The Oyama brothers in the arcade version of ''Double Dragon 3'' and many mooks in the rest of the series.

%% Image selected per Image Pickin' thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1309879704063220100

[[quoteright:340:[[VideoGame/DoubleDragonII https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/DD2_flyer_6572.jpg]]]]
[-[[caption-width-right:340:[[Music/TheAdventuresOfDuaneAndBrandO Yea, Double Dragon! Fuckin yo face, it's time to DUKE it!]]]]-]

* {{Ninja}}: The nameless ninjas from the NES ''Double Dragon II'', Yagyu Ranzou and his minions from ''Double Dragon 3'', and Amon from the Neo Geo fighting game.

* WhipItGood: Linda's weapon of choice in the original game.

* ''VideoGame/DoubleDragonGaidenRiseOfTheDragons'' (2023, [=PlayStation=] 4 / [=PlayStation=] 5 / Nintendo Switch / Xbox One / Xbos Series X): A new alternative story in the series that focuses on the Lees who must drive several criminal gangs out of the city with the aid of Marian and franchise newcomer Uncle Matin.

* ''VideoGame/DoubleDragonGaidenRiseOfTheDragons'' (2023, [=PlayStation=] 4 / [=PlayStation=] 5 / Nintendo Switch / Xbox One / Xbos Series X

* AsskickingEqualsAuthority: The Mysterious Warrior in the NES / PC Engine ''II'', Duke in ''Super'', and Raymond in ''Advance''.[[note]]The latter is implied to be the same as the former.[[/note]]

* {{Microtransactions}}: The arcade version of ''3'' is the UrExample.

* ShesGotLegs: Marian in both the original series and the Neo Geo fighting game.

* AnAxeToGrind: Added to the arsenal of the weapons in ''Advance''.

* EverythingsBetterWithSpinning: The Cyclone Kick. Also, the Mysterious Warrior has a move where he spins like a tornado with his arms outstretched. It does a ton of damage and sends you flying.

* DualTonfas: Rebbecca from the Neo Geo fighting game wields these.

* SequelDifficultySpike: The arcade version of ''II'' has more powerful bosses than the first game, only partial health recovery between stages (as opposed to full health recovery like in the first game), and no bonus lives (you're stuck with what you start with). Moreover the game's time limit is adjustable and the default settings has the game on the second fastest time limit with the second hardest difficulty and only two lives, which makes the third stage hard to complete on time and the fourth stage almost impossible. All the transition sequences between stages are now done by elevators, making it impossible to carry weapons between stages unlike in the first game.
** The NES version of the third game is also considerably harder than the previous installments at first due to the omission of a lives system. If the player dies in the first two stages, the game ends. However, the additional playable characters introduced in the later stages serve as extra lives on their own and the player gets a single continue for the final two stages.

While not the first of its kind, as ''Double Dragon'' was originally intended to be a sequel to their previous game ''Renegade'', the game improved upon its predecessor's formula by allowing up to two players to play simultaneously and adding the ability to pick and use weapons against the enemies (both features would become standard in subsequent games in the genre). The 2-Players Mode also provides a twist in the end: if both players manage to make all the way to the end, then the two are forced to fight each other to the death, with the survivor getting to claim Marian for himself.

In addition to the games, there was also an [[WesternAnimation/DoubleDragon1993 animated series]] and a [[Film/DoubleDragon live-action movie]], as well as a comic where their dad was Creator/StanLee. Yes, that one.

In addition to the games, there was also an [[WesternAnimation/DoubleDragon animated series]] and a [[Film/DoubleDragon live-action movie]], as well as a comic where their dad was Creator/StanLee. Yes, that one.

* SimpleStaff: The staff in ''Super''.

** Patrick [[SpellMyNameWithAnS Dulton/Dalton]] in the 1995 fighting game was probably named after James Dalton, [[Creator/PatrickSwayze Patrick Swayze's]] character in [[Film/RoadHouse Road House]].

''Double Dragon'' is a series of side-scrolling BeatEmUp's that helped popularize the genre back in the late [[TheEighties 1980s]] and early [[TheNineties 1990s]].

* TheApunkalypse